Mechanism for transversely severing webs of knit fabrics.



' Patented Dec. 2, I902./

. F. a. SHELAIN; MECHANISM FOR. TRANSVERSELY SEVERING WEBS 0F KNIT FABRICS.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1902,)

(in Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

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Patented Dec. 2, 1902.

Inn. 7|4,s25.

' F. a, SHELAIN. MECHANISM FOR TRANSVERSELY SEVERING WEBS 0 F KNIT FABRICS.

(Application filed Aug. 20, 1902.)

5 Shank-Sheet 2.

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F. a. SHELAIN.

IIEGHMHSNI FDR TRANSVERSELY SEVERING WEBS 0F KNIT FABRICS.

' (Application filed Aug. 20, 1902.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No llodal.)

No. 714,825. v 1 Patnted Dec. 2; I902. I F. G.-:SHELAI N.-

MECHANISM FOR TRANSVERSELYSEVERING WEBS 0F KNIT FABRICS.

. (Application filed Aug; 20, 1902.) (No Model.) 5 Shee'ts-Sheet' 5.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK G. SHELAIN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND FRANK R. BROWN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

MECHANISM 'FORTRANSVERSELY SEVERING WEBS OF KNIT FABRICS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letter-s Patent No. 714,825, dated December 2, 1902.

Application filed August 20,1902. $erial No. 120,305 (No model.)

To alt whom i may comer/11: the mechanism. Fig. 11 is a segment sew Be it known that I, FRANK GL SHELAIN, a ered from the web X by the knives of the citizen of the United States of America, residmechanism.

ing at Rockford, in the county of Winnebago Like letters of reference indicate correand State of Illinois, have invented certain sponding parts throughout the several views. 5 new and usefullmprovements in Mechanism A'is the base of the machine, which has a for Transversely Severing Webs of Knit Fabvertical opening therethrough at A and is rics,of which the followingis a specification. provided with legs. (Not shown.)

This invention relates to a machine for B is the frame, that supports the cutting IO transversely severing tops for hosiery and mechanism of the machine and is rigidly seankle and Wrist bands for knit underwear of cured to the base A. predetermined lengths from continuoustubu- B B are vertical standards fast to the lar webs especially knit therefor as the webs frame B and having bearings B B therein. come from machines knitting the same. Such O is a shaft mounted in the bearings 13 B". 15 webs have formed on the outside thereof O is a driving-pulley mounted fast on the transverse annular welts. The distances shaft 0 and having a belt-groove C in the apart of thesewelts determine the length of periphery thereof. I r

the segments tops or hands to be out there- 0 is a pinion fast to the shaft C. from, and the severing mechanism is con- O O are eccentrics fast to the shaft 0. 2o trolled by the welts onthe web passing there- D is a fluted roller provided atone end with through, the web being severed shortly after a fast pinion D and at the other end with a the passage of each welt between a pair of fast ratchet-wheel D and mounted in starollers therein. The welts serve as a finish tionary bearings D on the frame B. for the outer ends of the tops or hands and E is a fluted roller having transverse annu- 25 will not ravel; and this invention consists of lar grooves E, Figs. 3 and 4, sunk into the certain new and useful features of construe, periphery thereof and mounted in laterallytion and combinations of parts, all as hereinslidable bearings E in the frame B. after fully described, and specifically pointed E is a pinion fast to the roller E' and meshout in the claims. ing with the pinion D of the roller D.

0 Referring to the accompanyingdrawings, E represent-s springs which normally imwhich form a part of this specification, Figpel the laterally-slidable bearings E Fig. 10, ure 1 is a right side elevation of a machine and the roller E, supported thereby, toward embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a like. its companion roller D.

view of the same with parts omitted and F is a guide for insuring constant down- 35 other parts broken away. Fig. 3 is atop plan ward travel of the Web to be out and is renview of the lower portions of the machine, dered adjustable by means of the shanks F,

the upper portions thereof as seen in Figs. 1 extending transversely therefrom into sock- Q and 2 beingremoved. Fig. 4 is a full-sized ets F in the frame B, whereinto they are sea bottom plan view of the cutting mechanism cured by means of set-screws F 0 of the machine, shown most clearly in Fig. 3. G is a pawl connected, by means of the ec- Fig. 5 is a view of the mechanism for opcentric-hoop G, with the eccentric O and enerating the vibrating blade of the machine as gaging with its free end G the ratchet-wheel seen when looking in the direction indicated D which it drives, and therethrough comby the arrow a in Fig. l, with parts broken mnnicates motion to the roller D and thence,

45 awayto show the construction, arrangement, through-the pinions D E, to the roller E. and operation of theinterior portions thereof. G is a detent, Fig. 3, pivoted at G to the Figs. 6and7are face views of parts shown lugs G on the frame B and engaging the -in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a section at the line 8 8 ratchet-wheel D which it prevents from bein Fig. 6 of the part there shown. Figs. 9 ing rotated backward. 50 and 10 are detailed views-showing parts of II is a head having an annular recess H I03 and base H H which are preferably integral therewith.

I is a combined ratchet-and-cam wheel, the teeth I of the ratchet being formed on the periphery of and the cams I being sunk into and sloping outward to one end of such wheel, which is mounted in the axis H The wheel I is provided with several-in this case with threeteeth 1 which are, say, twice as thick and about half as wide as the remaining teeth I thereon, Fig. 5. The office of the teeth I will be fully explained hereinafter.

J, Fig. 3, is a pawl connected, by means of the eccentric-hoop J, with the eccentric O and either engaging with its free end J the teeth I or idly reciprocating upon the flat ends of the teeth I of the ratchet-and-cam wheel I.

K, Fig. 3, is a pawl connected, by means of the eccentric-hoop K, with the eccentric O and intermittently engaging with its free end K and at predetermined intervals the teeth I only of the ratchet-and-cam wheel I.

L, Figs. 2 and 3, is a bell-crank-composed of a long horizontal arm L and preferably 'two short parallel vertical arms L L all united by means of a rock-shaft L which is integral therewith and is mounted by its ends, by means of pivots L L", in bearings L In the ends of the vertical arms L L are mounted rolls L the peripheries whereof constantly contact the bottoms of the transverse annu lar grooves E in the fluted roller E.

L, Fig. 2, is a spring seated in a socket L in the base B of the machine and normally impelling the free end L of the bell-crank L upward.

M, Fig. 2,.is an arm connected at its lower end by means of a pivot M with the free endof the horizontal arm L of the bell-crank L, and its upper end M extends upward past the pawl K.

M isa stud rigidly connected with and projecting horizontally from the pawl K.

M is an arm pivot-jointed by one end M to the stud M onthe pawl K and rigidly and also adjustably connected by its other end M by means of the open socket M therein and the set-screw M passing transversely through such socket M N, Figs. 3 and 9, is astop-motion bar having its ends N N bent at right'angles thereto and mounted thereby on the pivots L L, so as to freely oscillate thereon, andprovided with transversely-socketed studs N N into the former of which a straight arm N is se- P is a jaw hinge-jointed, by means of the I pivot P, to the. base B and having a socket P in the freeend thereof to admit a shank P terminating at its outer end in a ball P one member 'of a ball-and-socket joint to be described hereinafter.

P is a knife rigidly secured to the upper side of the jaw P by means of a clamp P pivoted at P in the lugs P and a set-screw P for locking such clamp against the knife.

P P are screws for adjusting the knife P on its jaw P.

Q is a shaft mounted in the bearing H, extending through the longitudinal centers of the axes H H Q is a gear fast to the shaft Q and having circular chambers Q Figs. 1 and '5, sunk therethrough and into thehub Q thereof and parallel with such shaft Q.

Q is an eccentric mounted, by means of a transverse hole Q therein, loose on the axis H and having a recess Q sunk transversely thereinto, and an opening Q extending from the bottom of the recessQ transversely outward through such eccentric.

Q is a spiral spring, one end of which is seated in each of the chambers Q in the hub Q and gear Q.

Q is a collar fixed upon the axis H by means of a set-screw Q to retain the ratchetand-cam wheel I thereon.

Q is a collar fixed upon the shaft Q by means of a set-screw Q and cooperating with the gear Q to retain the shaft Q in its bearing H.

R is a pin inserted into and freely slidable in each of the chambers Q in the gear and hub Q Q R is a footed pin inserted through and freely slidable in the opening Q in the eccentric Q, the foot portion R thereof being housed and .slidablein the recess Q in such.

eccentric Q R is a cam-footed pin inserted through and freely slidable in the opening H in the head H, the cam foot portion R thereof being housed and slidable in the recess H in the head H.

S is a pitman connected, by meansof the occentric-hoop S, with the eccentric Q and by means of the socket S with the ball P and forming therewith a ball-and-socket joint.

S is a-babbitt ring for reducing friction between the inner surface of the eccentric-hoop S and its eccentric Q T, Figs. 1 and 2, is an oscillating frame hinge-jointed to bearings T by means of a pivot T T is a shaft journaled in the oscillating frame T and having mounted fast thereon a pinion T and a driving-pulley T having a belt-groove in the periphery thereof like that in the pulley 0.

T is a shaft journaled in stationary bearings T in the oscillating frame T and having a gear T mounted fastthereon and meshing with the pinion T on the shaft T T", Fig. 2, is a shaft journaled in sliding bearings T in the oscillating frame T.

T and T are fluted rollers mounted fast on the shafts T T", the latter roller being normally forced through its bearings T and by means of springs '1 toward its companion roller T U is an arm rigidly connected at one end with the free end of the oscillating frame T by means of a horizontal open socket U, fast thereto, and a set-screw U At the free end of the arm U is a hook U from which dependsa hooked rod U to the lower end whereof weights U are attached.

.Vand V are belts which connect the driving-pulleys 0 T5 with a common main driving-shaft. (Not shown.) 3

Supported by the uprights W W, extended upward, is any knitting-machine (not shown) adapted to knit the tubular web X and form thereon the transverse welts X at predeterminedintervals. The knitting-machine just referred to is driven by the same shaft that propels the driving-pulleys 0 T As the webX passes downward from the knittingmachine and between the rollers T T the revolution of the latter against such web will draw the free end of the frame T upward until the belt V'slackens sufficiently not to turn the pulley T the gear T and rollers T T.

The knitting-machine, however, will continue to knit, and the portion of the web X between the latter. and the rollers T T will continue to lengthen, while the weights U cause the free end of the oscillating frame T i 1 i Upon the happening of the first of these contingenciesfailure of theknitting-machine to furnish web to the severing mechanism fast enough-that portion of the web between the upper and lower pair of fluted rollers will be drawn taut bylhe passage of the web between 5 the rollers D E more rapidly than between the rollers T T, and such tightening of the web will cause it to impinge against the stopmotion bar N and swing it over toward the upright W, and thus lift the free end of the arm N which will in turn lift the pawl G out of engagement with the ratchet wheel D and thereby stop the rollers D E until sufficient web has passed between the rollers T T to release the stop-motion bar N, and'thus permit the pawl G to descend into engagement with and again drive the rollers D E. The mechanisms mode of operation during the severing of the segment Y from the web X will be fully described hereinafter.

The free end J of the pawl J is idly slid back and forth by its eccentric J on the broad upper end of one of the thick teeth I of the ratchet-and-cam wheel I until the lower welt X of the web X reaches and passes between the rollers D E. The increased thickness of the web X and welt X taken together will force the roller E in its slidable bearings E and against the action of thesprings E over against the rolls L thereby forcing the free ends of the arms L L of the bell-crank L outward and the free end of its horizontal arm L and the arms M M downward against the action of the spring L until the free end K of the pawl K, pivotally connected with such arm M, is thereby drawn downward until it engages one of the teeth I on the ratchet-andcam wheel I. One or two strokes of the pawl K will turn the wheel I forward far enough to cause the free end J of the pawl J to leave the thick tooth I and engage one of the adjacent teeth 1 thereof. As soon as the welt X leaves the rollers 'D E the springs E will restore the slidable roller E to its normal position and the spring L acting against the under side of the long arm L of the bellcrank L, will raise such arm L and the arms M M and the free endK of the pawl K sufficiently to disengage such pawl K from the teeth of the wheel I; but the pawl J will continue to rotate such wheel I a distance measured by, say, five teeth 1", during which operation one of the sunken cams Pin the end of the wheel I will reach and register with the opening H in the head H. The first of the pinsR in-the constantly-rotating gear Q that reaches and registers with the footed pin R will be forced by the spring Q overinto engagement with the eccentric Qfland the footed pin R and cam-footed pin R will also be forced by the action of such spring Q into the positions shown in Fig. 5, the free end of the pin portion of the cam-footed pin R being then in engagement with the innermost recess of the cam I in the wheel I. Obviously as soon as the constantly-rotating gear Q is connected with the eccentric Q by the pin R such eccentric Q will be rotated and,actingthrough its pitman S, will close the swinging jaw P, and therebycanse the knives O P to severa segment Y from the web. The eccentric Q makes asingle rotation at each operation of severing a segment Y from the web X, during which rotation of the eccentric the pawl J will continue to rotate the wheel I a distance measured by, say, three teeth of such wheel I. The cam I will'by this time have forced the cam-footed pin R into the head H, the cam-foot R will have forced thefooted pin E into the eccentric Q, and the pin B into the gear Q against the action of the spring Q thereby leaving the parts I, H, Q and Q entirely disconnected from each other. As the jaw P closed it engaged the arm N on the stop-motion barN and therethrough and through the arm N thereon lifted the pawl G out of engagement'with the ratchet-Wheel D of the roller D, thereby causing the rollers D E to remain motionless during the operation of severing each segment Y fromithe web X.

The sole function of the foot R is to increase the engaging area of the end of the pin portion R thereof adjacent to the pin R.

While the eccentric Q is making a rotation the footed pin R will occupy the position shownin Fig. 5, the free end of the pin portion thereof projecting over against the bottom of the annular recess H in the head H. Immediately after the cam I in the wheel I has driven the cam-footed pin B into the head H the rotation of the eccentric Q will carry the free end of the pin portion of such pin R along the face of the cam R, which will force the footed pin Rinto the eccentric Q and the pin B into the recess Q in the gear Q, as already stated.

What Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In mechanism for transversely severing knit fabrics, in combination, a pair of fluted rollers mounted parallel to each other, one in stationary and the other in laterally-slidable bearings, springs normally impelling the slidable bearings and their roller toward its counterpart roller, means for driving such rollers, a mounted ratchet-wheel, a mounted bellcrank, having short arms and a long arm, rolls, mounted in the free ends of the short arms of the bell-crank and contacting peripherally the slidable roller, a pawl adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the ratchet-wheel, and pivoted connectionsbetween such pawl and the free end of the long arm of the bell-crank, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

' 2. In mechanism for transversely severing knit fabrics, in combination, a pair of fluted rollers mounted parallel to each other, one in stationary and the other in laterally-slidable bearings, and the latter roller having transverse annular grooves sunk into the periphery thereof, springs normally impelling the slidable bearings and their roller toward its counterpart roller, means for driving such rollers, a mounted ratchet-wheel, a bellcrank, having short arms and a long arm, rolls, mounted in the free ends of the short arms of the bell-crank and contacting peripherally the bottom of the annular grooves in the slidable roller, a pawl adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from the ratchet-wheel, pivoted connections between such-pawl and the free end of the long arm of the bell-crank, the slidable roller being operative, slidably, by transverse welts on a web of knit fabric passing between such fluted rollers, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a base, of a head having an annular recess H sunk transversely thereinto, a recess H countersunk into the bottom of the annular recess, and an opening H extending from the bottom of the countersunk recess transversely outward through such head, and provided with axes H H projecting transversely, in opposite directions, from said head and having a bearing H, extending through and concentric with the longitudinal centers of such axes, a combined ratchet-and-cam wheel I-the teeth of the ratchet being formed on the periphery of, and the cams being sunk into and sloping outward to one end of, such wheel-mounted on the axis H a cam-footed pin R inserted through and freelyslidable in the opening H in the head, the cam-foot portion R thereof being housed and slidable in the countersunk recess H therein, an eccentric Q rotatably mounted on the axis H", of the head and having a recess Q sunk transversely thereinto and an opening Q extending from the bottom of the recess Q transversely outward through the eccentric, a footed pin R in serted through and freely slidable in the open-- ing Q in the eccentric, the foot portion R thereof being housed and slidable in the recess Q therein, a shaft mounted in the hearing H in the head, a gear, fast to the shaft and having chambers Q therein, springs seated in the chambers Q in the gear, pins R inserted into and freely slidable in the chambers Q in the gear, and means for operating the combined ratchet-and-cam wheel and the gear, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. The combination, with a base, of a head having an annular recess H sunk transversely thereinto, a recess H countersunk into the bottom of the annular recess, and an opening H extending from the bottom of the countersunk recess transversely outward through such head, and provided with axes H H projecting transversely, in opposite directions, from said head and having a bearing H extending through and concentric with the longitudinal centers of such axes, a combined ratchet-and-cam wheel Ithe' teeth of the ratchet being formed on the periphery of, and the cams being sunk'into and sloping outward to one end of, such wheelmounted on the axis I1 a cam-footed pin R inserted through and freely slidable in the opening H in the head, the cam-foot portion Rf thereof being/housed and slidable in the countersunk recess H therein, an eccentric Q rotatably mounted on the axis H of the head, and having a recess Q sunktransversely thereinto and an opening Q extending from the bottom of the recess Q transversely outward through the eccentric, a footed pin R inserted through and freely slidable in the opening Q in the eccentric,- the foot portion R thereof being housed and slidable in the recess Q therein,

a shaft mounted in the bearing H in the head,

5. In mechanism for transversely severing knit fabrics, in combination, a base, a pair of fluted rollers mounted parallel to each other thereon, one in stationary bearings and the other in laterally-slidable bearings, a ratchetwheel fast to one end of the roller mounted in stationary bearings, a mounted shaft, a pawl, as G, driven by such shaft and normally engaging the ratchet-wheel, a stop-motion bar mounted on bearings on the base so as to freely oscillate thereon, and provided with an arm projecting under and adapted to lift the pawl, and an arm projecting into the path of the jaw P of the mechanism, pivotjointedto the base, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK G. SHELAIN.

Witnesses:

L. L. MORRISON, NELLIE BUNKER. 

